chronic pain

Long-term pain is one of those things that nobody fully understands unless they experience it themselves.

Some work injuries are minor and lead to a minimal amount of discomfort. Others are severe and require workers to deal with long-term pain issues. Fortunately, those who have been injured have a variety of options at their disposal for managing their problems, and can often obtain benefits to pay for those treatments with the assistance of a St. Louis work injury lawyer. Here are 6 tips for managing long-term pain.

Reduce Sources of Stress

One thing people often don’t know is that stress often plays a significant role in pain management. For this reason, injured workers should do everything they can to reduce stress. That will mean mending personal relationships, exercising, adjusting work conditions, and more.

Exercise However You Can

One of the worst things you can do for an injured body is keep it sedentary. While a small amount injuries make it extremely hard to exercise, almost every form of damage allows for some level of activity. Doing so will reduce stress, give you confidence, and make you stronger.

Limit Tobacco and Alcohol Use

Chronic pain victims are especially prone to abusing tobacco and alcohol. The reason is that long-term health issues are difficult to deal with, both mentally and physically. Sufferers frequently turn to dangerous substances to kill the pain and reduce stress. What they don’t know is that these short-term fixes always lead to long-term complications.

Join a Support Group

Just like almost every other issue in the world, chronic pain sufferers have support groups. Attending them allows victims to connect with people who feel like them. Doing so can give them a sense of community, expose them to new ideas for pain management, and add another source of social energy to their lives.

Track Your Pain in a Diary

For some injuries, the treatment for pain may never be over. Instead, your issues can evolve and may require regimen adjustments. The best way to stay ahead of your pain is to record it in a diary. That way, you can explain to your doctor precisely when and how you’re feeling your discomfort.

Consider Getting Massages

Massage is considered by some to be a form of alternative medicine. In reality, it has firm scientific backing and can do a lot to reduce pain, stop swelling, and speed up the healing process. These positive outcomes make it a worthy avenue to explore for those struggling with chronic pain.

Long-term pain is one of those things that nobody fully understands unless they experience it themselves. Still, there are various methods you can use to lessen your discomfort and live a normal life. Best of all, you might be eligible to have pain management covered. This option is best explored with the help of an experienced St. Louis workers compensation lawyer.

Chronic Pain Caused by Work-Related Injuries

The word “injury” encompasses numerous things under the workers’ compensation system, including fractured bones and invisible injuries, such as:

Damaged and pinched nerves.

Stinging feeling along the hands, arms, feet, or legs.

Occupational illnesses resulting from regular contact with toxic materials and chemicals while working. These illnesses include mesothelioma and asbestosis.

Recurring stress injuries, such as carpal tunnel syndrome.

These injuries are considered to be chronic. The pain and uneasiness caused by these injuries or illnesses is long lasting. Workers’ compensation offers similar benefits for work-related chronic pain. However, it is essential for the chronic condition to be connected with the work of the employee. In order to receive workers’ compensation benefits due to arthritis, diabetes, lung cancer, and other chronic conditions, the employee should prove that it developed due to his or her work.

Steps To Take if You Suffer From Work-Related Chronic Pain

If you suspect that the chronic pain you are experiencing is a result of a workplace injury or illness, you should take the following steps to receive benefits under the workers’ compensation system.

The first thing that one should do is to consult a medical professional.

The employee should immediately inform the employer about the injury. They can inform the supervisor or the human resources division of the company.

A workers’ compensation claim should be filed by the employee using the forms provided by the employer. Employees can consult an experienced St. Louis workers’ compensation lawyer if they have some questions about the form.

The claim should be filed without any delay to make sure the benefits are released as soon as possible. The statute of limitations limits the period in which a claim can be filed. In Missouri, employees suffering from an occupational illness or workplace injury have two years after the date of injury or the date when illness was discovered to file a claim.

It is advisable that the injured employee seeks help from a lawyer since there are chances that the insurance company may limit or deny compensation. It may be difficult to prove a work-related chronic illness. The process of filing the claim and acquiring the necessary benefits can be facilitated by a qualified lawyer.

Chronic pain or illness can have an adverse effect on the life of an employee. Employees should make the most out of the state workers’ compensation laws if they are experiencing work-related chronic pain. Contact The Law Office of James M. Hoffmann at (314) 361-4300 for legal guidance.